The Grøvdalsbakken hike in Isfjorden is a steep and demanding trail, but the rewarding views over lake Nedre Bakkevatnet and the surrounding landscape make the effort worthwhile. This route is ideal for hikers seeking a challenge with scenic panoramas. Map: Romsdalsfjella Nord 1:50000.
Drive eastwards from the center of Isfjorden to Grøvdalen. From Grøvdalen you continue along the toll road and almost to the end of the road in Søredalen. This is where the hike towards Grøvdalsbakken starts.
About season and other important information
OFFICIAL HIKE DESCRIPTION – Tour descriptions from fjords.com may be incomplete and inaccurate, errors and omissions may occur. Therefore, it is important to look for updated information from official information sources. You can search for most of the mountain hikes in Norway in the website UT.no. There you will find more accurate hike descriptions with maps, elevation profiles and other useful information. Unfortunately, UT.no has only Norwegian text and does not cover all the hikes on this website. Read about your own responsibility and about how to explore the Norwegian nature in a safe way. We recommend using a guide.
GRADING – Challenging. ALTITUDE DIFFERENCE – This hike starts at approximately 170 masl (Parking in Søredalen). Highest point at approximately 760 masl.
GUIDE – We recommend you to join a Guided Tour to Grøvdalsbakken.
SEASON – Mid July to August, these are approximate dates that depends on the weather, temperature and the amount of snow in the mountains. This is a landslide-prone area, always make your own evaluation about this danger before and during this hike. It often happens that the snow accumulates in the river valley and on the trail from snow avalanches that have occurred during the winter. Due to this, it is not recommended to go on this hike if there is still snow on the trail.
SAFETY IN THE MOUNTAINS – You should follow the Norwegian Mountain Code when hiking in Norway. It can change from summer and sunny weather to winter and frost in minutes! Always check the Weather Forecast before you go hiking. For safety reasons it is recommended to avoid hiking in Thunderstorms, in fog, in bad weather and when it is snow and ice on the trail and in the mountain! Always bring good clothes and hiking shoes. And have enough food and water in your rucksack.
NOTE – This hike is not suitable for children! This is a long and demanding hike, you should be an experienced hiker to do this hike. There are several steep, narrow and exposed sections on this hike. Remember that there is no mobile phone coverage in large parts of the hike to Grøvdalsbakken.
NOTE – We recommend to use a map and compass on this hike since parts of the hike go in areas where there is no trail. It also often happens that Grøvdalsbakken is shrouded in fog.
The Hike to Grøvdalsbakken
See more detailed tour description and map from Romsdal.com.
You park just before the river that crosses the road, just before you get to the mountain pasture in Søredalen. You have to walk the last part along the road to the mountain pasture, this is where the trail towards Grøvdalsbakken starts.
The first part of the hike is easy. The trail is gentle and flat and goes through an open cultural landscape before it continues in the forest. The trail will gradually begin to rise in the forest.
Follow the trail through the forest on the left side of the river until you come to a suspension bridge.
You then cross the river on the suspension bridge before the trail gets steeper up the Loftdalen valley. This part of the trail goes above a waterfall, be careful there due to the steep terrain.
The trail continue up on the right side of the river/waterfall. It is a bit steep and exposed in parts of the trail, it is steep down towards the river/waterfall, so you have to be careful and stay on the trail all the way due to this.
The upper part of the trail goes over a rocky interval before it continues gently down towards the cabin at lake Nedre Bakkevatnet. Lake Nedre Bakkevatnet consists of two lakes, and the cabin stands between the two lakes.
The hike to Grøvdalsbakken and lake Nedre Bakkevatnet is six kilometers one way. It takes approximately two hours from the start to the small cabin by the lake.
It is allowed to fish for trout at lake Nedre Bakkevatnet and the other lakes in the Isfjorden mountains. For more information and to get a fishing license, contact Hen Fjellstyre.
Read more about the hike to Grøvdalsbakken at Romsdal.com
Romsdalsfjord – What to See and Do
From snowy mountains to beautiful coastline of islands and reefs. Experience all this in one day due to the short distance from mountains to coast. Trollstigen, Trollveggen and Rampestreken are great places to visit in the inner part of the Romsdalsfjord, where the fjord meets the spectacular and alpine Romsdal mountains. The Romsdalsfjord is located in the county of Møre og Romsdal, north in Western Norway.
Visit Northwest
Visit Northwest is the official destination company for the Romsdalsfjord, Romsdal and Nordmøre area.
Hotels and accommodation in and near Åndalsnes
The area at and around Åndalsnes in Romsdal has a large selection of hotels and other accommodation options.
